Believe If You Must

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Blind Adherence Is Sheer Folly":

I cannot believe some of the stuff that you write...

"Our current Mayor is completely content to work hand in glove with the administration."

Is that a bad thing? Why do we have administration? So that they bend to every whim of a Councillor?

Let's call a spade a spade here. The real work within a Town or City is done by the staff that work there day-in and day-out. They have a wonderful pension plan (OMERS) and they provide a continuity to the function of the municipality. Councillors exist as the tangible link between the public and the Town. They exist in a finite world. Some only one term. Others overstay their welcome and are there for many terms. The staff and administration are the ones that get things done. They don't have time for photo-ops, broadcasted council meetings, or letters to the editors or blogs.

Councils are as relevant to the day-to-day operations of a Town as the Queen is to the day-to-day operations of the empire.


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 I can believe the stuff written anonymously ,

 In the best of circumstances, some of it should be true.

 Occasionally I stop to ponder who would  most likely harbour a view  that compares elected representatives with municipal  staff . And finds staff supreme.  

It  would not be the resident who takes the trouble to  vote  in elections.

Who  listens carefully to  each candidate's  platform,votes accordingly;.then watches to see how closely the candidate adheres to the commitment.

If a Mayoralty candidate stated Council has no role and it's the Mayor's job  to direct  staff  recommendations to capture that which  will  ensure his re-election,  how well would such a platform be received?

If  candidates declared Council has no role other than  approve everything  placed before them  without regard for  cost or justification, and regularly promote and  applaud staff  for their excellence, would the average taxpayer nod his/her head wisely and  take comfort ?

The Mayor's role is clearly number one. Goodwill goes a long way. But skills eventually become conspicuous in their absence.  Flibberty-gibbet comments go down like a lead balloon . Contradictions from what was promised in a platform do not  pass unnoticed.  Four years is too long to  hide..

On the other hand,  municipal staff in the past have generally been part of the community. They lived in our neighbourhoods. Attended hockey practices and parent-teacher interviews. They paid  taxes along with the rest of us and  engaged with the community in many other ways. 

Intelligence, judgement  and knowledge of the many facets  of a community became  readily obvious  and provided assurance or otherwise.

It's not like that any more. We have no continuity either. And we have  had letters to  the editor and  demands made  to blogs  to remove material. by a certain time limit.

Things that should be true are not. 
 Things that should not be true are.